St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-01-10
FOR TEE RED FLAG.
Red-HOt SociaIiStic Talk at Mass
Meeting Yesterday.

Martins hall held large number of men
yesterday afternoon, who seemed terribly
interested over something. 1t was mass
meeting OF socialists, presided over by a
MIR. GunniSon. Fritz Gellerup, the young
man who recently went to ball in suit
Of raiment loaned for the purpose, and
which afterward got HIM into troub bic, was
the principal speaker, making red-hot adj
dress. He said:
We have met here to-da Y for the purpose of
speaking to You in reference to that class of
people who are fast becoming the sOVereigns
OF this country. as well as all other civilized
countries throughout the whole world. Not
many years ago socialism was a term of bit
ter Ieproach Now every man in our
country whose opinion is worth
notice is turning socialist.
We believe in the dignity and nobility of
human nature when it is untrammelled bJ
degrading conditions. We resent as SANDER
GUS the statement that men are so depraved
that they require the epur Of want avarice
10 induce them to put forth reasonable efforts.
The efficient cause OF human misery, the
great obstacle TO human progress. is the con-
fict OF human interests. Competition, strife.
enmity, must exist so long as this conflict con-
times. This conflict may be removed by the
magic OF organized industrial and social CO.
operation. This is the socialistic doctrine.
Socialism is not, as you may presume, a
nicely invented plan, the realization of which
one may acquire. If it were possible. Nay,
the social cation OF the means and instruments
OF production, OF communication, the
soil and so on, is not only desirable
but it is an imperative necessity, and we find
in history ever! where that when something
once became necessity the next step was
the mplishment Of this necessity. Our
great factories, mines, railways, ships, ETC.,
nave become too extensive TO be exploited and
controlled by one man. On the other hand
we observe everywhere the abnormity, the
disadvantages of unregulated private produc-
tion and enterprise. We see one man, or
mum Der of men, not only appropriating all
inventions Of technics, but also ali the natural
resources, such as water, steam, electricity,
etc. For fact the world exists exclusively
for them. That they destroy their fellow
men they seem not even TO perceive or care
to perceive. They manufacture gold out of
the bodies of little children by their machin-
cry. 1t is the coming of these little precious
bones into costly diademS to place upon their
ladies' browS. which have never been Sullied
by the tear Of want or care, and this they
claim to be charity and Christian kindness.
They murder innocent children and women
by hard labor, and on the other baud they
force able-bodied men to starve from want
of work. These facts and hundreds of others
are indeed striking enough, terrible and
damnable enough, for any man with heart and
1eenng Tor humanity to become q socialist.
\ Oh ask if socialism will not die out, like
other labor upstairs and organizations, and
tell you, no! For the very reason that social
ism was not organized by man; it was the
natural consequences of evil and corrupted
times. The road to cooperation and distribu-
ton is leveled by the Capitalization Of the
means of labor under our present private cap
itnlstic system. We are already marching
upon this road. We cannot go back, even
should we ever so much desire to do so. The
power of circumstances is driving us on to
socialism. The speaker concluded his ad-
dress in fierce and fiery language saying that
ere ten years had rolled by the sun would go
down on of the fiercest, bloodiest and
most terrible of wars-the social revolution.
The speaker was frequently Interrupted by
outbursts of applause.
After Mr.. Gellerup had finished, there
followed a lively and interesting debate,
the following gentlemen making some able
remarks on the address by the leading
speaker: Mr.. Ash, Otto Gellerup, c.
Gunneson, j. j. Healy, Mr.. Gaughen and
MI Blumenberg. Mr.. Nymanover closed
the meeting in eloquent and forcble Ian
guage in favor of socialism and its doctrine.
The meeting was very animated and many
new names were enrolled. After the meet
Ing business meeting was held to elect
officers tor the ensuing year. Fritz Gellerup
was elected chairman. The following Of
ficerS were chosen: A. l.. Gardner, organ
iZer; Fritz Gellerup, secretary; George
aemeinhardt treasurer; P. Petersen,
financial secretary. a collection was then
taken up to raise fund for the imprisoned
anarchist in Milwaukee, Paul Grottkau.
Next Sunday afternoon at 8 o'clock anot her
meeting will be held at the same hall.